Cottonwood Canyons Foundation Winter Wildlife Tracking class

Join the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation for a Winter Wildlife Tracking class this weekend with renowned educator and naturalist Bruce Thompson!

WINTER WILDLIFE TRACKING CLASS
1/23/2009 6:00 PM - REI, Salt Lake
1/24/2009 Field Program in the Cottonwood Canyons (specific location TBA)

The vast and ever-present array of wild "signatures" scattered about our local landscapes offer us an underused encyclopedia of behavioral, ecological, and evolutionary information. Through the mind of an animal tracker, we can make discoveries about animal behavior, adaptation, and inter-species relationships. Learn about animals' feet and how they move, when and where they rest, what they eat, and how animals in the wild make a living in their own specific way. Indoor and field sessions focus upon wildlife adaptations, diversity, and sign types complemented by firsthand explorations of the animals' habitats on or off-trail in various uneven terrain. Field session will be done on snowshoes (provided by REI at no extra charge). The class begins in REI's Wasatch room at 6:00pm on Friday, then goes out into the field Saturday morning through afternoon. The field portion will be taught in Big or Little Cottonwood Canyon, exact location(s) will depend on conditions and will be announced during the evening portion of the class. Appropriate footwear, warm clothing, a day pack, lunch, and a filled water bottle will be needed for field sessions. Field guides and cameras welcome. Proceeds benefit the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation.
Cost/Tuition: $60 for REI Members, $65 for non-members.
Registration is Required. To register, please call REI at 486-2100 and ask to speak to the Customer Service department.


The Cottonwood Canyons Foundation offers a winter calendar of activities for all ages including Full Moon Snowshoes, Snowshoe with a Naturalist tours, and Tour with a Ranger nature tours at the Cottonwood Canyons Ski Areas. Visit www.cottonwoodcanyons.org or call 801-466-6411 for more information. We hope you can join us!

Hammerhead Sleds Review www.TrailMasterOutdoors.com

These awesome new sleds are just the ticket for safe, fast and fun outdoor recreation in winter! Made from light weight aircraft aluminum and poly carbonate plastics they are easy to carry or drag behind you and are a blast to ride! Pick your up today at www.TrailMasterOutdoors.com

HELMETS, SAFETY AND EDUCATION ARE TOPICS OF SNOWMOBILE SAFETY WEEK

National Snowmobile Safety Week is January 10 through 18. For this eight-day observance, and throughout Utah’s snowmobile season, Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Education Specialist Ann Evans is stressing helmets, safety and education.

“Because of the recent snowstorms, thousands of Utahns are heading to the mountains,” said Evans. “We want everyone to ride safely and know the laws and rules before they go. Be educated and be prepared.” She encourages riders to check avalanche, trail and weather conditions, and share itineraries with family and friends.

Utah law requires youth eight to 15 to complete the Utah State Parks and Recreation Know Before You Go! OHV education course before operating on public lands, roads or trails. Anyone 16 or older must have a valid Utah driver’s license or a safety certificate to operate snowmobiles on public land. It is illegal for any child under age eight to operate an OHV on public land.

All youth under age 18 are required by law to wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet approved by the Department of Transportation. Utah Department of Health (UDOH) and Utah State Parks strongly recommend that all riders wear helmets, especially parents who set an example for children and other riders.

In addition to helmets and education, Evans offers the following safety tips:

- Never ride alone. Always ride with a companion and let others know your plan.

- Watch your fuel supply carefully.

- Check weather reports and avalanche advisories. Be prepared by wearing an avalanche beacon and carrying a shovel and probe.

- Dress for changing weather conditions. Wear layered clothing to adjust for changing conditions.

- Never drink and drive.

- Always wear an approved helmet designed for motorized use. It’s the law for anyone under 18 to wear a helmet at all times. Utah State Parks encourages everyone to wear a helmet.

- Know basic maintenance procedures. Carry spark plugs, drive belts, a tool kit and a survival kit which contains a map, compass, flashlight, extra food, extra clothing, sunglasses, first aid kit, pocket knife, waterproof matches, and candles or fire starters.

For registration materials or more information, call the OHV Information Center at 1-800-OHV-RIDE (1-800-648-7433).

COLD WATER IMMERSION STEPS TO SURVIVAL

Salt Lake City - As air temperatures drop and ice begins to form on reservoirs, Utah State Parks boating officials remind everyone to be aware of the dangers of sudden winter storms and cold water temperatures.

“You never know when you might end up in the water. Life jackets not only keep you afloat, but provide an extra layer of warmth,” said Assistant Boating Program Manager Chris Haller. “The combination of additional heat and flotation might mean the difference between life and death.”

According to the 1-10-1 Principle, someone in cold water has one minute to get their breathing under control, 10 minutes to have enough strength and dexterity to self-rescue, and up to one hour of consciousness. After this time, survival chances decrease dramatically.

Haller also recommends the following cold water boating safety tips:

- Have a ladder or a method to re-board your boat
- Carry a signaling device, such as a mirror or flare gun
- Carry a cell phone or marine band radio with service where you boat
- Always tell someone your boating plans including where you are going and what time you will return
- Check local weather conditions before heading out
- Carry the proper equipment onboard your boat

For more information, visit stateparks.utah.gov or call (801) 538-BOAT. Wear it Utah!

Boone and Crockett Club Confirms New World’s Record Elk

MISSOULA, Mont.—Perhaps the largest elk ever produced in the wild—a Utah bull taken in 2008 by a hunter on public land—has been confirmed as a new World’s Record. The official declaration was made Friday by the Boone and Crockett Club.

A special judges panel determined a final score of 478-5/8 B&C non-typical points, an incredible 93-plus inches above the Boone and Crockett minimum score of 385 for non-typical American elk, and more than 13 inches larger than the previous World’s Record.

It is the only elk on record with a gross score approaching the 500-inch mark, at 499-3/8. Official data dates back to 1830.

The giant bull has 9 points on the left antler and 14 points on the right. The larger antler has a base circumference topping 9 inches.

The Boone and Crockett scoring system, long used to measure the success of wildlife conservation and management programs across North America, rewards antler size and symmetry, but also recognizes nature’s imperfections with non-typical categories for most antlered game. The bull’s final score of 478-5/8 inches includes an amazing 140 inches of abnormal points.

“Along with measurements that honor the quality of the animal, Boone and Crockett Club records also honor fair-chase hunting,” said Eldon Buckner, chairman of the Club’s Records of North American Big Game committee. “Through our entry process, signed affidavits and follow-up interviews with the hunter, his guides, and state and federal officials, we were satisfied that this bull was indeed a wild, free-ranging trophy and that the tenets of fair chase were used in the harvest.”

The hunter, Denny Austad of Ammon, Idaho, hunted the Monroe Mountain District in south-central Utah. Hunting with a self-designed rifle, Austad killed the bull on Sept. 30, 2008. He hunted for 13 days before connecting with the trophy, dubbed “spider bull” for its unique antler configuration.

On behalf of the Boone and Crockett Club, Buckner congratulated Austad and credited his new World’s Record to the tremendous management of habitat and wildlife by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the Fishlake National Forest.

“Utah’s conservation professionals really deserve a pat on the back, as do the citizens of Utah for their support of their state’s wildlife programs,” said Buckner.

Across North America, ever-improving conservation practices have translated to flourishing big game populations, with balanced age-class and mature, trophy animals. Over the past 30 years, qualifying Boone and Crockett records book entries for American elk have increased 193 percent from a total of 14 in 1977 to 41 in 2007.

Across all categories of native North American big game, the overall trend is even higher with 344 qualifiers in 1977 up to 1,151 in 2007—a 234 percent increase.

The previous World’s Record for non-typical American elk was 465-2/8 B&C points. That bull was found dead, frozen in Upper Arrow Lake, B.C., in 1994, and was entered into Boone and Crockett Club records by the provincial Ministry of Environment on behalf of the citizens of British Columbia.

For hunter-taken non-typical American elk, the previous top bull scored 450-6/8 B&C points, taken in 1998 in Apache County, Ariz., by Alan Hamberlin.

The Boone and Crockett Club also keeps records for Roosevelt’s and Tule elk. World’s Records for these categories are substantially smaller than those for American elk.